Nigel Broome, from Sainsbury's, told the Employment Sub-Committee of the Education and Employment Select Committee that: "Part-time seems to imply low pay, low skills and an unattractive job."

The witnesses before the committee from Sainsbury's, Tesco's and Tetra Pak, told MPs that there was a mindset in existence which would take time to realise the benefits, for employer and employees, of part-time working.

Derek Foster MP, chairman of the committee which is looking at the role that part-time workers play in business and how the law covers their rights, told the witnesses: "We are interested in the concept of enhancing competitiveness, and enhancing flexibility."

Lesley James speaking for Tesco's

Economic and social drivers Lesley James from Tesco's summed up the two main reasons for business favouring part-time employees.

"There is a clear economic driver for being able to design a flexible workforce whose main constituent parts will be part timers: hours of opening, the complexity of employing full timers and wanting to employ people when you need them.

"There is also a clear social driver too: women in the work force, women coming back to work and women having to balance family and working life."

Defending part-time rights

Mr Foster asked about the problems caused for part-timers, for example women working on a checkout, who are asked to stay late at short, or no, notice.